‘Really sh*t players’ - Pep Guardiola jokes about why he skipped PSG vs Bayern Munich in order to watch Stockport

While much of the football world focused on the Champions League meeting between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, Guardiola spent his evening elsewhere. The Manchester City manager chose to attend a match at Edgeley Park to watch Stockport County rather than follow the high-profile European encounter.

Guardiola later admitted he had initially dismissed the Paris fixture when looking at the calendar. Despite the match eventually producing a nine-goal thriller, which PSG won 5-4, the City boss had already decided to spend his time watching lower-league English football.

Speaking to reporters, Guardiola joked that the quality of the managers and players involved in the Champions League clash did not convince him to watch the match.

"The day before, I saw the calendar and saw PSG and Bayern Munich and thought, 'bah, what a disaster game.' Managers are not good - Luis [Enrique] and Vini [Vincent Kompany]," Guardiola said. "Really sh*t players, so… I'm in love with English football, and I decided to go to Stockport. Next season, when Bayern Munich play my old team, I will be in front of the sofa."

Beyond the jokes, Guardiola offered a more tactical reflection on the variety of footballing philosophies currently dominating the European landscape. He acknowledged that while he might have missed the live action in Paris, he respects the different ways the game is played across the continent, even when styles clash.

Addressing the PSG versus Bayern matchup more seriously, he said: "That's nice. It's what football is all about. You and I are not the same. Football is like this [gestures widely] - everyone has their own style. It was a good game. Atletico Madrid v Arsenal was another good game too. Of course, when you score nine goals in a semi-final, it's fantastic. Football has to be accepted in different ways."

The Cityzens face a busy schedule in the closing weeks of the campaign after the Premier League rejected requests to adjust their fixtures against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth. They will next face Everton in a bid to knock Arsenal back from the top of the Premier League table.